Virgil was tense as he made his way cautiously through the barren palace. The prince slightly behind him provided a sense of comfort. The lack of people in the typically buzzing palace was heavy on both of them, making them uncomfortable as their footsteps echoed slightly through the corridors. The artist had a hunch of where his ex boyfriend would be hiding; he somehow knew that he was in Prince Roman's room, making him internally growl. 

It was when they heard voices that they both stopped, hearts pounding against their rib cages. Virgil listened carefully, eyes closed with concentration. He didn't hear Barry, meaning they were most likely his closer friends told to watch the doors. He tightened his grip on the sword and looked at Roman with a nod. He return it, clenching his own sword in hand. The prince was starting to feel very thankful for the sword training he'd been forced into by his father's insistence. Virgil tapped his foot three times as a countdown before jumping out from around the corner. The men turned in surprise as he stabbed the closest gang member to him who was too slow to react. They drew their swords as Roman positioned himself at his boyfriend's side. Adrenaline charged through their systems as they leapt into action. 

Something in Virgil's instincts took over as he skillfully spun and slashed through the two men that had moved to double team them. He'd normally question if killing them was the right thing to do, but knowing what these men did in the past and what sparing them lead to before made his blood boil with rage that fueled his movements. He may not be gifted in arms, but he was sure as hell skilled.

Roman was locked into a duel with one of them, but couldn't help but look over at Virgil as he took on four of them himself. His eyes widened as he seemed to move in slow motion, sliding under the blade of one while leaping to evade another, all the while slicing through their legs, chests, and arms. His heart skipped a beat as he caught a glimpse of his eyes as his bangs revealed them. They were narrow and almost scarily determined, giving the prince chills until the man he was fighting pushed him back, snapping him back into reality. He lunged forward skillfully, avoiding his blade and driving his own into his enemy's chest. He was about to help Virgil with the remaining men, but something wrapped around his neck and pulled him from behind. "VIRGIL!" he managed to scream as he was pulled back.

The artist's head snapped in his direction upon hearing his desperate voice. The prince had been fighting with his back against the door, and someone had opened it, grabbed him from behind, and was dragging him inside; and Virgil knew who it was. Pure fury burned through his veins as he finished off the final two men and made a break for the door. He threw it open to find Barry holding Roman by the neck against his chest with a blade in his other hand. 

"Ah, finally," Barry scoffed, waving the sword around without a care despite the prince being dangerously close to the blade. "I've been waiting for you."

Virgil didn't say a word as he stood with his sword at the ready. His heart was hammering against his chest as he watched the blade in Barry's hand. He dared not look up to meet Roman's eyes or something might snap. 

"Look who I've found!" Barry said, deliberately cheerful. He was trying to taunt the artist as he looked at the prince's face. "Your Highness! It's a pleasure to meet you again! You know Virgil, I can see why you'd pick him to be your new boy toy. He's very handsome, isn't he? He seems perfect for your taste."

The artist glared with more hatred than a person should be able to muster in one look, practically shaking with rage. "He's not my boy toy," he muttered. "He's my boyfriend."

"Ha! Come now Virgil! You can't hide your true nature from me," he cackled, pulling on Roman tighter to make him gasp. "We both now what a manipulative little monster you are; helping me to get what I want for so many years, telling me to go somewhere else to save your own skin, tricking this poor unsuspecting prince into thinking you love him."

Virgil's breathing was labored as attempted to fight back the wave of red swarming his vision. Said prince was looking at him with terrified eyes, he could feel it as he kept his gaze low. "Don't listen to him," he said, trying to reassure him. "He's describing himself, and he knows it."

"But am I really?" Barry questioned with a twisted smirk. He then looked at the prince he was holding hostage. His smirked turned into an even more twisted grin, eyes darkening. Roman felt more scared than he'd ever felt in his life just from the man's smile. "Hey Virgil, you know what would be fun? If I take your little prince here, and do what I did to you."

The artist's eyes widened as his head snapped up. "No..." he breathed, shaking his head as began to panic. He was dragging the prince further away from him, that sick smirk he was all too familiar with on his face. Virgil finally met his boyfriend's eyes, everything seeming to stop for a moment. Roman's eyes were terrified and pleading, unaware of what Barry meant, but still scared nonetheless. He felt something inside him snap, making his eyes darken.

The prince was internally terrified seeing him like this, but hoped that it was a good thing for the situation. "Let him go. Right now," he said, voice dropped into a deep and intimidating octave that gave him chills. "He has nothing to do with this."

Barry paused for a moment, seemingly out of shock and slight fear, but he quickly recovered, smirking. He looked from the prince to the artist, shrugging and throwing Roman to the ground. He hit it hard, making him whimper in pain. He watched as Barry raised his sword to fight, helpless to do anything but watch.

"You're right, this is between you and me."